18 January 2013

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad admitted that citizenships were given to foreigners in Sabah, but stressed that it was “within the law”.

The former prime minister was asked to comment on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Sabah’s illegal immigrants issue.

“When I was prime minister, I was in power to determine the implementation of government policies.

“The government received foreigners to be citizens if (they) fulfilled certain conditions, furthermore many of those who are in Sabah are there not one, two days but already 20 to 30 years and they speak in Bahasa Melayu, they have the right to be Malaysians,” Dr Mahathir (picture) said at a press conference here.

“So the problem is when there are people who are tidak senang (unhappy) when there are some who become Malaysians although those individuals have already resided in Malaysia, that is what causes problems.”

“Why we want to reject them? They work. If they commit crimes, they are exposed to our country’s laws too. But they are needed by Malaysia,” he later added.

Throughout the press conference, he repeatedly stressed that the giving of citizenships to foreigners was “within the law”.

“I never deny it were given. What I deny is that I did something against the law, that I will deny.”

When asked if he was saying that the Project IC was lawful, he said: “Yes, it is lawful.”

Earlier in the press conference, Dr Mahathir was asked if the handing out of citizenships to foreigners was politically-motivated and to enable Umno to take over Sabah.

He replied: “I mean that is their right. Once they become citizens, whether they support Umno, Barisan Nasional, that is their business.”

“We know for a fact that not all of them are supporters of Barisan Nasional,” he added.

He also reminded reporters of the country’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, claiming that he gave out citizenships to those who were unqualified to receive it.

“One should also look back and remember that Tunku Abdul Rahman was worse than me, he gave one million citizenships to people who are not qualified and were not even tested.”

“Why is it when he does it, it is not wrong, and when I do it, it’s wrong?” he asked.

Dr Mahathir, the country’s longest serving prime minister who was in power from 1981 to 2003, has been accused of spearheading the so-called “Project IC”, in which citizenships were allegedly given to immigrants in exchange for their votes.

But former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh, who administered the state from 1976 to 1985, denied on Tuesday the existence of “Project IC”.

Yesterday, the late former deputy home affairs minister Tan Sri Megat Junid Megat Ayub was accused of ordering the National Registration Department (NRD)’s Sabah branch to issue temporary documents to allow immigrants to vote in a 1994 state election.

Dr Mahathir was today also asked if he had knowledge of Megat Junid’s alleged order just two weeks before the 1994 state election.

“... (But) that is either coincidental or deliberate, I wouldn’t know. But that is within the law. That it happened before elections doesn’t mean it is against the law,” he said

comments

It is definitely legal and within the law if you are conferring citizenship to legal residents that have met citizenship requirements. That is not the point. The point is that we are giving out ICs to illegal immigrants in exchange for vote. That is electoral fraud!

Please stop trying to change the main story line. Your hand prints are all over on this crime being conducted by the government.

So you admitted to giving them the ICs but what about them robbing, snatching, raping, killing our citizens?

Dr. M cannot do any wrong as he decides as a dictator. Whatever comes from him must be legal and right as he always has a reason. The more he talks the more severe is the beating on UMNO/BN comes GE13.

The truth is now in the open. I was extremely furious when I read the treacherous exercise done by Dr M in giving citizenships to illegals just because he wanted to topple PBS. His actions is tantamount to betrayal of the highest level & he should be arrested and tried in the court. It doesn't mean he can simply offer citizenships to anyone he likes even if he is the PM. What a load of rubbish from an imbecile PM who sold out the country & Malaysians. Punish the traitor!